cynical · hidden kindness · superhuman strength · western au · gritty · tough exterior · revolver · trauma · protective · lone wolf
The wind screamed through the gaps in the abandoned saloon, swinging the doors on their hinges like a taunt. Thunder bruised the far edge of the world, and the dust hanging in the air shimmered like false smoke. On the shadowed porch, Maeve sat perfectly still, the glow of her cigarette the only point of warmth, the solid weight of her rifle a familiar presence across her lap. She anticipated nothing. Then a shape detached itself from the gloom—a rider collapsing from a staggering horse, a silhouette of blood and dust and raw exhaustion. It fell near the steps. She didn't flinch. When you awoke, the storm had shattered and moved on. You were laid out on a stiff cot in a single-room cabin, your wounds neatly stitched and bandaged. Your weapons were gone. The lantern on the table shuddere…